MAPLE AND MUSTARD PORK ROAST (WITH MAPLE ROASTED VEGETABLES)
Ingredients
Serves 8
BRINE:
8 cups (2 L) water, divided
3/4 cup (175 ml) maple syrup, divided
½ cup (125 ml) kosher salt
4-lb (2 kg) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed to leave a thin layer of fat
⅓ cup (85 ml) wholegrain mustard
1 tsp (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
Maple Roasted Vegetables
MAPLE ROASTED VEGETABLES:
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup
1 tbsp (15 ml) wholegrain mustard
1 lb (500 g) carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
1 lb (500 g) parsnips, peeled and cut into sticks
Instructions
- To make BRINE: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups (500 ml) of water with maple syrup and salt and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve salt. Add remaining water and cool to room temperature. Transfer brine to a large container, add pork, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
- Position a rack in centre of oven and heat oven to 450 F (230 C).
- Drain pork and pat dry with paper towels. Set a flat roasting rack in the middle of a roasting pan and add 1 cup (250 ml) of water to the pan. Place the roast on rack.
- In a bowl, mix maple syrup, mustard and pepper, set aside half in a small bowl for serving.
- Roast pork until crust just starts to brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F (175 C) and continue cooking until thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 140 F (60 C), 30 to 50 minutes more. As it rests, the internal temperature will rise to 145 to 150.
- Let rest for 10 minutes and thinly slice. Serve with roasted vegetables and a drizzle of reserved maple syrup mixture.
- To make MAPLE ROASTED VEGETABLES: Pre-heat oven to 400 F (200 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine olive oil, maple syrup and mustard. Stir well to combine, then add carrots and parsnips. Toss to coat.
- Transfer vegetables to baking sheet and spread vegetables in one layer. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Roast until vegetables are cooked through and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes depending on size, stirring halfway through.
Drink Pairings
PLOUGHMAN’S STEAK SANDWICH WITH PICKLED RED ONIONS
Ingredients
Serves Serves 4
PICKLED RED ONIONS:
1 large red onion, peeled
¼ cup (60 ml) white wine vinegar
1½ tsp (7 ml) liquid honey
1 generous pinch salt
½ cup (125 ml) cranberries, fresh or frozen and thawed, chopped (optional)
STEAK:
2 x 6 oz (180 g) sirloin steaks, about 1½-in (4 cm) thick
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, plus extra
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 thick slices rosemary sourdough bread, toasted
½ cup (125 ml) prepared chutney
4 slices aged cheddar
1 cup (250 ml) arugula leaves, washed and spun dry
Instructions
- To make PICKLED RED ONIONS: Thinly slice onion into rings. Place in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water, stir, then drain well in a colander. Return to bowl and stir in vinegar, honey and salt. Let sit for at least an hour or several days, covered and refrigerated. Stir occasionally for even marinating. For longer storage, refrigerate in a jar with a tight-fitting lid up to a week. If adding cranberries, remove from refrigerator and stir in 1 hour before serving.
- Bring steaks to room temperature and trim off excess fat. Pat dry with paper towel. Rub steaks with oil and season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 500 F (260 C).
- Using an ovenproof frying pan large enough to hold steaks in a single layer without crowding, heat pan over high. Add steaks and sear over high heat about 3 minutes per side, until richly browned or until they register 130 F (54 C) on a meat thermometer for rare or 155 F (70 C) for medium-rare. Transfer steaks in pan to preheated oven for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes.
- While steaks are resting, brush toasted bread slices with olive oil. Grill in a hot, dry frying pan on both sides until crusty but not dark.
- To assemble, place 4 slices toasted bread on a cutting board and spread with equal amounts chutney. Thinly slice steaks on the diagonal and divide slices evenly over top. Top with prepared pickled onions, a couple slices of cheese and arugula leaves. Place remaining toasted bread slices on top and serve with a side salad of your choice.
Drink Pairings
LOBSTER BLINIS
Ingredients
Serves 24
2 tbsp (30 ml) warm water, about 110 F (43 C)
1½ tsp (7 ml) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) active dry yeast
1 large egg white
¼ cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) fine cornmeal
½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt, plus extra for seasoning
½ cup (125 ml) warm milk, about 110 F (43 C), plus extra if needed
1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter, melted
2 avocados
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
4 radishes, trimmed
3 or 4 small, cooked lobster tails, meat sliced into rounds
fresh chives, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) lengths, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together water, sugar and yeast. Let stand, allowing yeast to bloom, about 8 to 10 minutes. If mixture does not become foamy and frothy, yeast is inactive and you need to repeat step with a new pack.
- While yeast is blooming, whisk egg white until soft peaks form.
- To yeast mixture add cornmeal, flour, salt, warm milk, butter and whipped egg white. Whisk until well combined. Cover batter with a kitchen towel and set aside for 90 minutes. Once batter has rested it should be consistency of pancake batter. If too thick, whisk in more milk, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time.
- Preheat a non-stick frying pan or cast iron frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, dollop a rounded tsp (5 ml) of blini batter into pan leaving 2-in (5 cm) between each blini. Cook until bubbles break surface of blini, about 1 to 2 minutes, before turning over and continuing to cook another minute. Transfer blini to a plate and continue cooking remaining batter.
- When ready to assemble, mash avocados in a medium bowl, along with lemon juice, until a creamy mixture is achieved. Season to taste with salt. Thinly slice radishes using a mandoline or a sharp knife.
- Plate blini on a serving platter before topping with a dollop of avocado cream, a couple radish slices, a piece of lobster and a chive garnish. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
LOVAGE SOUP WITH BABY SPINACH
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter
1 Vidalia onion, diced
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2-in (5 cm) piece Parmesan rind (optional)
3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock
¾ cup (175 ml) chopped fresh lovage leaves
2½ cups (625 ml) lightly packed baby spinach
salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
1½ cups (375 ml) baby Swiss chard leaves, washed and spun dry
2 tbsp (30 ml) thick plain Greek yogurt (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a large, heavy- bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add onion and sauté over medium-high heat until soft and almost clear, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to brown onions.
- Add garlic and potatoes and stir in to coat with oil and onions. Add Parmesan rind, if using, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add lovage and 2cups (500ml)spinach and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove Parmesan rind. Purée using a hand held blender or whirl in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour soup into bowls and place a small truss of baby spinach leaves in centre of each. Swirl each with 1 tsp (5 ml) yogurt and serve.
Drink Pairings
POTATO CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH SEA SALT GANACHE
Ingredients
Serves 16
CAKE:
1 large russet or sweet potato
1¾ cups (425 ml) all-purpose flour, sifted
1½ tsp (7 ml) baking soda
¼ tsp (1 ml) sea salt
⅛ (0.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
⅛ (0.5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes
1½ cups (375 ml) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter
4 oz (125 g) bittersweet chocolate
½ tsp (2 ml) espresso powder
¼ tsp (1 ml) blood orange flavouring or zest from ½ orange
SEA SALT GANACHE:
4 oz (125 g) bittersweet chocolate
⅓ cup (75 ml) whipping cream
¼ cup (60 ml) dark chocolate flakes
1 tsp (5 ml) sea salt flakes
Instructions
- To make CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease a 10-in (25 cm) Bundt cake pan or tube pan and set aside.
- Peel russet or sweet potato and cut into large cubes. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat with lid slightly ajar until fork-tender. Drain, return to saucepan to steam dry, then mash thoroughly until smooth, set aside to cool.
- In a separate bowl, measure out flour, baking soda, salt and seasonings. Stir to blend. Set aside. In bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine sugar and eggs. Beat with wire whisk at medium- high until smooth and ribbons begin to form when whisk is lifted.
- Add butter and chocolate to a small saucepan over very low heat, until almost fully melted. Remove from heat, stir to dissolve any remaining chunks. Stir in espresso powder and blood orange flavouring or zest. Gradually beat mixture into sugar and egg mix until blended. Gradually beat in buttermilk. Measure out 3⁄4 cup (175 ml) cooled potato, beat in until smooth.
- Beat in flour mixture and continue to beat on medium-high for 2 minutes or until creamy. Scrape batter into prepared Bundt cake pan. Bake in centre of oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on rack for 5 minutes before turning out and cooling on rack completely.
- Prepare GANACHE: Combine chocolate and cream in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until chocolate is almost melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until mixture is smooth and no more lumps remain. Drizzle Ganache over cooled cake. Sprinkle with chocolate flakes and sea salt flakes. Cut into thin slices and serve.
Drink Pairings
POACHED HALIBUT CASSEROLE WITH ARTICHOKES
Ingredients
Serves 4
3 cups (750 ml) olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) mixed, unpitted olives
2 tbsp (30 ml) capers, drained
3 to 4 medium fresh artichoke hearts, trimmed and cut into quarters
½ cup (125 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved or whole
sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary, to taste
2 lemons, halved
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 x 6-oz (180 g) halibut fillets
Instructions
- In a saucepan that will fit halibut in a single, tight layer while completely submerged in olive oil, heat olive oil until very hot, but not boiling.
- Reduce heat to a medium simmer. Carefully add olives, capers, artichokes, cherry tomatoes and herb sprigs. Squeeze in 2 halves of a lemon. Add a dash of salt and some ground pepper. Let the ingredients infuse the hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon, carefully remove as many of the ingredients as possible from the oil and set aside on a warm platter. Add halibut fillets, making sure they are completely submerged in oil. If they are not, add more oil and increase the heat to bring the heat level back up. Let halibut cook 6 to 8 minutes.
- Remove and drain fish from olive oil and arrange with poached ingredients. Season and serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
PANCETTA CUPS WITH PICKLED PEAR AND BLUE CHEESE
A rich and zesty appetizer that will inspire praise at your next mingler!Ingredients
Serves Serves 12Instructions
- In a small saucepan over high heat stir together vinegar, water, salt, sugar, ginger, coriander and black peppercorns to make pickling liquid. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let cool until lukewarm. Place pear in a non-metallic bowl or Mason Jar and pour warm liquid overtop. Let cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to assemble, preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Press a slice of pancetta into each cup of a mini muffin tin. On top of pancetta, to help keep their shape while baking, ball up a small piece of aluminum foil and place into each cup. Bake until crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully remove pancetta from muffin tin and discard aluminum foil. Place on a paper towel-lined wire rack to cool. Just before serving, set pancetta cups on a serving tray. Fill each with some frisée lettuce, a small spoonful of drained pickled pears and a sprinkling of Stilton or blue cheese. Garnish with chopped fresh chives, if desired.
Drink Pairings
MAPLE CREAM COOKIES
Ingredients
Serves 12 cookies
¾ cup (175 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 ml) granulated maple sugar or brown sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
½ cup (125 ml) store-bought maple butter
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients until well combined. Transfer from bowl onto a work surface, shape into a rectangle. Cut in half and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Remove 1 dough from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of ⅛-in (4 mm). Using a maple leaf cookie cutter, cut cookies and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Trace lines on the cookies to reproduce the veining of leaves. Repeat with second pack of dough.
- Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, until sides are golden. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Place 2 tsp (10 ml) of maple butter in the centre of each cookie and cover each with a second cookie. Press down carefully to line up the cookies and spread the maple butter.
Drink Pairings
MANGO, TAPIOCA AND COCONUT PUDDING
Ingredients
Serves 6
½ cup (125 ml) small pearl tapioca
2½ cups (625 ml) whole milk
½ vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
1 14 oz (398 ml) can unsweetened coconut milk
2 large egg yolks
¼ cup (60 ml) sugar
3 cups (750 ml) peeled and ½-in (.5 cm) diced mango
1 tbsp (15 ml) fine-grated lime zest
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, mix together tapioca, milk, vanilla bean and seeds and salt. Heat over medium heat to simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until the pearls are tender and translucent, about 20 minutes. Stir in coconut milk.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar. Slowly whisk in a steady stream with half of the warm tapioca mixture. Whisk well to mix and pour egg yolk mixture back into the remaining tapioca in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature, discarding vanilla bean.
- In a medium bowl, mix together mango, lime zest and juice. Transfer half of the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir the puree into diced mango.
- Divide half of the fruit into 6 serving glasses, top with the tapioca pudding, then top with the remaining mango mixture. Cover the puddings with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until chilled.
Drink Pairings
ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE
Ingredients
Serves 12
CHIFFON CAKE:
2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour
4 tsp (20 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
1½ cups (375 ml) granulated sugar, divided
½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
6 large eggs, separated
2 tbsp (30 ml) orange zest, finely grated
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
¼ tsp (1 ml) cream of tartar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
ORANGE CURD:
4 egg yolks
¾ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) salt
1 orange, zest only
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ cup (125 ml) chilled butter, cubed
WHIPPING CREAM:
2 cups (500 ml) whipping cream, chilled
3 tbsp (45 ml) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1 ml) vanilla extract
GARNISH:
1 tbsp (15 ml) candied orange zest
1 orange, segmented
Instructions
- To make CHIFFON CAKE: Preheat oven to 325 F (170 C). Have a clean, dry 10-in (25 cm) tube pan ready.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, 1 cup (250 ml) sugar and salt. Make a well in centre of flour. Add 6 egg yolks, oil, orange zest and juice. Whisk until smooth.
- In another large mixing bowl, using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites until foamy. Then slowly beat in cream of tartar and reserved ½ cup (125 ml) sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold half the beaten egg whites into egg yolk batter until well combined. Then gently fold in remaining beaten egg whites into batter just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into dry tube cake pan with a removable bottom and bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of cake comes out clean. Invert cake pan and let cake cool completely in pan. While cake cools, prepare Orange Curd.
- To make ORANGE CURD: In a metal mixing bowl combine 4 egg yolks, sugar, salt, orange zest, orange juice, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water making sure bottom of bowl doesn’t touch water. Stir constantly over simmering water until mixture has thickened enough to coat a metal spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in cubes of cold butter.
- Strain mixture through a fine-meshed sieve and press a piece of plastic wrap into surface to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until cooled.
- When Cake and Curd have completely cooled, in a chilled mixing bowl combine whipping cream, sugar and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until soft but firm peaks form.
- When ready to serve, remove cake from pan and cut horizontally through middle. Drizzle half the Orange Curd over bottom half of cake. Then gently spread half the whipping cream over Curd. Place top half of cake on cream. Spread with remaining whipping cream over top and drizzle with remaining curd. Garnish with candied orange zest and orange segments. Refrigerate until ready to serve.